Visual Management Systems

The use of visual techniques is a common theme throughout all Lean concepts. Whether it be Pull Systems making use of visual signals or ‘kanbans’ in their execution, making standard work visible to associates performing the activities that it describes, or posting ‘one point lessons’ to convey important information about a specific topic – simple and visual is always the preferred approach. Yet most organizations are just scratching the surface of the possibilities in this important subject. Further, it is absolutely critical to long term sustainability of changes already made and to drive continuous improvement going forward.

To many organizations the subject of ‘visual management’ means posting several performance measures for everyone to see. Yes it is important to make people aware of current performance. However, a comprehensive visual management system (VMS) consists of so much more. A VMS should be actively used to ‘manage’ – to control the activities performed in an area, to be used to make decisions and trigger action. Most importantly it should be used to drive continuous improvement by engaging associates. It cannot be ‘wallpaper’ that is posted in an area with the hope that somebody will stop, read and get some benefit out of a ‘passive’ system.

This full-day session will review the key elements of a comprehensive visual management system. Participants will have the opportunity to design their own VMS that they can take back to their organizations. They will do this following a step-by-step methodology embodied in a series of questions. Numerous photographed examples will be provided throughout.

Duration: 1 day

Who should attend: Anybody who works in a production, non-production or service environment can benefit by attending. People in leadership roles in particular will benefit the most as they can design their own VMS for their area of responsibility.

Creating Visual Management SystemsTwo-day Event

Implementing visual management techniques is an essential component of any Lean Enterprise. It is absolutely critical to long term sustainability. Much more than simply posting process related metrics, an effective visual management system (VMS) should be driving the daily management of a function, department, or even an entire enterprise. Even more important it should drive continuous improvement. This two-day event will review the key elements of a comprehensive visual management system. Participants will have the opportunity to design and implement their own VMS in selected areas of the business. This can include a specific process, a value stream, a department or the entire enterprise.

After education in the basic concepts using numerous photographed examples to convey them, a team of people will design a comprehensive visual management system to be used in the daily management of the selected area or process. First a Supplier-Input-Process-Output- Customer (SIPOC) exercise will be completed. This helps the participants identify the key activities that will be the focus of the VMS. Then a series of six questions will be used to guide the design effort. Mock-ups will be developed that can be easily revised as the system takes form, until the initial version is agreed upon.

At that point the process of using the system is developed. This includes the objectives and frequency of review of each element. Participants will then go through several ‘mock’ runs using the system to insure the proper behaviors are demonstrated. At that point the system is ready to go ‘live’.

Who should attend: Anybody who works in a production, non-production or service environment can benefit by attending. People in leadership roles in particular will benefit the most as they can design their own VMS for their area of responsibility.